The Official Site of Jermaine O'Neal

Question:

Do you feel like you have to carry the load for the Heat?

Answer:

We have a lot of guys on this team who play very, very well. Obviously, having D-Wade is definitely a bonus, but we have a lot of guys who can really put the ball in the hoop and on any given night guys can go for big nights. It makes it easier. It has been a while since the knee surgery and I’ve been struggling with it, trying to get back. All in all it’s not really about me scoring 20-plus points a game, it’s about me helping the team get to the next level and that’s really where my focus is.

Question:

How did it go this season when you had to fit in with a new team?

Answer:

The transition went pretty good. Obviously, it’s tough when you come beyond the mid-point of the season with 50-some games played, but this team has a lot of very good players. More than that, they’re a very tight team away from basketball, so it makes it easier to transition in to a team like that.

Question:

Can you relate to some of the things that Michael Beasley is going through from your time in Portland?

Answer:

I told him, everyone goes through it. You can’t get down on yourself. Mistakes are going to be made by everybody, no matter if you are a veteran or a rookie. You just have to stay focused and mentally strong. Beasley has done a great job since I’ve been here, asking questions and trying to stay focused on what the task is at hand. It’s tough to be put in the position where he is the number 2 pick and people expect him to play at a different level than most people, but he’s playing a big-time role on a playoff team, so I personally think he is doing a great job.

Question:

Are you satisfied with your level of play right now?

Answer:

I think making the All-Star team five times, All-NBA, stuff like that … it’s good but it’s not quite enough. It’s important to really make one last run in the next three to four years, because that’s all I want to play. I’ve done very, very well business-wise. The game of basketball has been very, very good to me. But I’m looking to making a major, major push to really get back to that level.

Question:

Are you paying attention to the things people are saying about how much you have left and what you can and can’t do any more?

Answer:

No. You take any player and you give ‘em a knee injury … ask Kevin Garnett right now how he feels. You take any player’s livelihood, which is his knee, and put any injury to it … it’s going to be a process. And it’s been one hell of a process for me.